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More solar is on the way

It’s our job to build your brighter renewable energy future

Living in regional Western Australia shouldn’t mean you can’t access solar. Our goal is that all Horizon Power households can have access to rooftop solar by 2025, and we are working hard to make it happen. 

More solar capacity is coming to Broome - February 2022

We're continuing to transform the network across regional WA into renewable ready energy systems, so no one misses out.

This includes installing two community batteries in Broome early next year - unlocking another 1,400kW of hosting capacity for businesses and households.

A new Solar Smoothing service for larger systems over 30kW will be offered - providing businesses with a cost-effective alternative to installing an onsite smoothing battery.

Release dates to be announced shortly.

Community batteries smooth the way for solar

Are you solar ready?

Investing in a rooftop solar system is an important decision and we’re here to help. We’ve prepared a ‘smart choice checklist’ and guides for buying, installing, and choosing the right solar system for you.

When solar becomes available in your town and you're ready to install, we recommend you refer to our helpful tips and checklist when discussing solutions with your potential solar supplier.

Get solar ready

 

Since our last solar release, more Broome households are enjoying the benefits of rooftop solar

We released over 900kW of solar in July to Broome residential customers. Here's a snapshot of what that means annually for the Broome community:



*Annual figures calculated using the A2 Residential Tariff. Doesn’t take into account any buyback rates, concessions or rebates. It assumes 60% of solar system output offsets electricity use. Sources: Horizon Power, Solar Choice and Carbon Neutral data.

 

Why are there limits on solar and what are we doing to fix this?

The microgrid that powers your town needs to be carefully managed to ensure an increase in rooftop solar does not impact the stability and reliability of power supply to the community.

That's why we've set a limit on how much rooftop solar our electricity network can accommodate in each town without disrupting supply to our customers. This is called hosting capacity. Hosting capacity is currently constrained in a few regional towns, which means some customers have been unable to install and enjoy the benefits of rooftop solar systems. Watch the video to learn more.

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More solar

We’re working hard to fix the hosting capacity constraints and make solar available to more of our communities.

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Battery storage

We’re progressing with the installation of battery energy storage systems across nine locations to increase hosting capacity as quickly as possible.

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Fairer for everyone

We're committed to ensuring there is a fair and equitable distribution of capacity when it becomes available.

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Future focussed

We’re reviewing our approach to how we calculate hosting capacity to reduce barriers and access to solar.

Want to learn more?

More solar is coming - February 2022

Following on from the 900kW release of solar capacity for households in July 2021 - two new community batteries will be installed to unlock another 1,400kW of capacity:

  • Business customers - will be allocated 1200kW of capacity
  • Residential customers - will be allocated 200 kW

As part of this release, a new solar smoothing service will make it easier for businesses to access the benefits of solar. This service provides a cost-effective alternative to installing and maintaining an onsite smoothing battery- for solar systems larger than 30kW.

To ensure this is distributed in the most equitable way possible, capacity will be allocated on a ‘first in – first served’ basis. More details will be shared as the community battery project progress.

Don't forget to sign up below to be notified on future solar releases, products and trials - we'll email you closer to the time, when the release dates are confirmed.

 

When sunlight hits the solar panels on your roof, your inverter converts it into electricity that is ready to use in your home. If you don’t use the electricity made by the solar panels, your meter measures how much of your excess electricity is fed back into the network for someone else to use. The meter also helps measure how much electricity you use from the network when there is no sun to generate your own solar energy.

You can find out more here.

Residential customers: Monday 15 November 2021 

Applications opened to Carnarvon, Exmouth and Denham residential customers on 15 November 2021, at 9 am. In this phase we released a total 900kW of solar capacity.

Hosting capacity has since been exhausted in Denham and Exmouth and applications are now closed. Some capacity remains in Carnarvon - find out more here.

  • Carnarvon households - 400kW of capacity - applications are open
  • Exmouth households - 400kW of capacity - applications are now closed
  • Denham households - 100kWs of capacity - applications are now closed

Business customers: Monday 22 November 2021 - applications open at 9 am:

  • Denham businesses will receive 100kWs of capacity

Applications will be open on the above dates, completed online via the renewables application form. If you're ready to install, we recommend you refer to our helpful tips and checklist when discussing solutions with your potential solar supplier.

To ensure this is distributed in the most equitable way possible, capacity will be allocated on a ‘first in – first served’ basis.

 

We've been working hard to transform the grids across regional WA into renewable ready energy systems and we continue to plan more solar releases in the Esperance Goldfields region. 

Residential customers - 18 October 2021 - applications are now closed

Applications opened to Esperance and Hopetoun residential customers on 18 October 2021, at 9 am. In this phase we released 850kW of solar capacity, receiving over 140 applications. Hosting capacity has since been exhausted and applications are now closed. 

Business customers - 25 October 2021 - applications are now closed

Applications opened to Esperance and Hopetoun business customers on 25 October 2021, at 9 am. In this phase we released 350kW of solar capacity. Hosting capacity has since been exhausted and applications are now closed. 

 

Stay tuned!

We are committed to increasing cleaner, greener renewable energy solutions to provide more choice and flexibility for households and businesses. As we get closer to opening up more hosting capacity in each town, we'll release more information. You can also sign up below to be notified when solar becomes available. 

We will offer a 50/50 allocation of available solar hosting between residential and commercial customers. This will ensure distribution is more equitable and accessible to more of our customers. 

No. Due to the high demand of rooftop solar we process applications on a first come, first serve basis.

However, you can sign up below to be notified of any changes to solar capacity, products and trials in your area.

 

Stay up to date on solar releases, products and trials